Tag Archives: 2013

I have never really been a person to set New Year`s resolutions because I feel it is something that everybody does with full intention of keeping them yet they are typically forgotten by February of the New Year. Gym memberships sky rocket and work out accessories like expensive Lululemon Yoga pants and tennis bags for girls fly off the shelves just to be put in that drawer that you put things in that you never use but you don`t have the heart to get rid of. Sales of stop smoking aides increase but as soon as you miss your aerobics class a few times or buy just one more pack of cigarettes, those resolutions quickly become failed attempts of self-improvement.

I have been recently thinking about ways to make my New Year`s resolutions actual solutions. How do I lose that extra weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle for longer than a few weeks? How do I actually save money rather than just throwing some extra cash in an envelope and then borrowing from the envelope whenever I need a five dollar bill and promising to pay it back when I know that’s never going to happen? How do I start to travel more when my resolution to save money failed miserably?

My other issue with New Year`s resolutions is that I feel like it`s an excuse for people to do whatever they want in the current year and feel okay about it because they have sworn to change in the year to come. “Oh yeah I smoke, but I`m quitting on January 1st!” “Sure I can have some pizza, after all, I start my strict diet on New Year`s, I might as well enjoy it while I can.” To me, it is a crutch.

I thought to myself that really, the reason I don`t set resolutions is because I don`t have enough faith in myself to follow through with them. So rather than fail, I just don`t try. The thought upset me because in my opinion, failing and not trying are one in the same. But how do I stick to my goals? Will my new tennis bag and expensive Yoga pants give me more motivation? Will opening an actual savings account rather than the empty envelope hidden under my bed actually help me save money? I don`t know the answer but this year, I am at least going to try and if I fail, hey– there`s always next year! LOL!